787 Dreamliner completes wing-bending test

If you've ever felt a little queasy watching your plane's wings flex under the strain of being at 10,000 feet, rest assured that they can bend a lot further. Just how much pressure modern airliner wings can take is demonstrated by the latest 787 Dreamliner news from Boeing. During a recent "ultimate-load wing up-bending test," the 787 was subjected to loads 150 percent greater than it can expect to endure during service with the wings flexed upward by approximately 25 feet (7.6 meters) over a period of two hours.

Boeing is positive about the initial results of the test although more extensive analysis is required over coming weeks.

"We are looking forward to the technical team's report on the details of the test results," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program.

"The test program has been more robust than any conducted on a Boeing commercial jetliner," said Fancher. "It has taken countless hours of hard work by the Boeing team and our partners to work through the static test program."